In meeting-places, such as conference rooms and restaurants, the number of visitors may vary considerably from one time to another. Consequently, the number of tables required will also vary. Accordingly, before a meeting, tables which will not be needed must be taken to a storage room or the like or, alternatively, tables which are needed must be brought from the storage room to the meeting-room. In the case of tables with fixed legs, the tables must be stacked on top of each other both when being stored and when being transported. This is complicated, and, in addition, the stacked-up tables take up a great deal of space. It is true that folding tables take up only a small amount of storage space, but, on the other hand, folding and unfolding them is often a complicated and time-consuming operation. Moreover, when unfolded, such tables are often unstable and rickety.
According to another common construction, the table leg has a threaded end and the table top has a corresponding threaded receiving means, so that the leg can be screwed to the table top. While it is true that such tables can be disassembled for storage and transportation, they also have the drawback that the table legs must have a circular cross-section, since the table legs cannot be positioned in a defined turning position when being fitted to the table top.
In the meeting-place, the tables are subsequently placed in different formations depending upon the number of seats required on each occasion. On such occasions, when the tables are placed in a row, double table legs are obtained where two tables abut. These double legs take up a great deal of space and are inconvenient for the individuals who are seated where the tables abut.
A prior art table system, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,749, consists of mounting plates, which are fitted to the corners of a number of table tops, and a number of supports each fixedly connected to a respective table leg. Four supports are rotatably attached by means of one screw each to one mounting plate each in a first table top. In a first application position, the table legs are turned in under the first table top and are fixed in a mounting plate by means of screws, enabling the table to stand on four legs in the normal manner. In a second application position, the table legs and the associated supports are turned out from the table top and thereby form contact surfaces for further table tops, which are fixed to the supports of the table legs by means of screws. In this way, the occurrence of double legs where two tables abut is eliminated.
SE-B-445,945 describes a device, which enables several table tops to be joined by means of a fitting formed by two disc-shaped pieces, which is fastened around projections in each table top and which bridges the joint of these table tops. A leg shared by the adjoining table tops can subsequently be attached to this fitting be means of a bayonet grip. The detachment of the leg is simple, but in order to the disassemble the table tops it is necessary to loosen and detach the disc-shaped parts of the fitting.
A drawback of the above construction is that several screws are required for attaching a table leg to a table top by the intermediary of the support. The large number of screws makes the assembly operation more difficult and also increases the likelihood of a screw being lost after a certain period of use. In addition, in the known construction, each table leg must make a turning movement when two table tops are to be assembled. This turning movement can be made more difficult by friction between the end surface of the table leg and the floor surface, e.g. a wall-to-wall carpet. Furthermore, it is not possible to join these tables in more than one way. For example, tables cannot easily be coupled together at an angle to each other with this prior art construction.
SE-B-329,524 shows a framework, whose tube-shaped means are joined with the aid of connecting pieces. Upon insertion of the end portions of the connecting pieces into the tube-shaped means, a support plate can be slipped over the end portions and be fastened between the end of the tube-shaped means and the connecting piece. This support plate can then serve as a supporting surface for e.g. a shelf. The support plate can be used in different directions to permit e.g. a shelf to be supported on an optional side of the tubes of the framework.
EP-A-0 476 315 shows a table construction, in which a coupling member is attached-to the upper end of the legs to permit a table top to be supported or to support two or four table tops placed next to each other. The coupling member has four holes for mounting pins placed in a square, making it possible to fit the leg so that it rests completely inside the edge of a table top, or half-way underneath two adjoining table tops, or so that it extends under the corners of four table tops placed adjacent to each other.
FR-A-1,200,640 shows the use of bayonet grips for joining framework components and fastening shelves or plates between adjoining leg parts.
FR-A-1,467,964 shows a table construction, in which one half of a bayonet grip is fitted to the top end of a leg and the other half is attached to the underside of the table top. Consequently, the legs can be easily attached or detached, but the construction is such that the components attached to the table top project from the underside of the table top and therefore make it difficult to stack individual table tops on top of each other. There is no possibility of connecting adjoining table tops to each other.